Stephen chester



(5o.) STEPHEN CHESTER- Mmm-Sneak Improvement in Eiectro-Magnetic Apparatus for Noting Z 7 oo :10C .Il l L 2 1. Ulli mf T m T fm l. n d F e w t z m L M Dl h1 ,of

Meteorological Changes.

50.) STEPHEN CH5STER- mmm-sheen. Improvement in Electro-Magnetic Apparatus for Notinl g Meteorological Changes. N0. 122,437. Patented Jan. 2, 1872.

.Zine

jm G jin/Piz f L f5o. STEPHEN CHESTERl 4sheers--sheet3q do n 2 Il 7 t 8 0 .l N 2 r n. 0 a ...l l. S M u m t e a M T HSD. De pg An a Ch .UC e n.1 a gC all. Mg .0 0| Um C0 e6 llt .LG M n t L n 3 e A. W 2 v Q O l w 0 N m 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Patened-Jan.2,1872.

50.) STEPHEN CHESTER improvement in Electro-Magnetic Apparatus for Noting Meteorologlcal Changes No.

' Figure UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEo STEPHEN CHESTER, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

To all hom 'it may concern.:

Bei known that I, STEPHEN CHESTER, of the cit of Elizabeth and State of New Jersey, have i vented a new System of Automatic Meteo logical Telegraph,7 of which the following s a speciiication:

Myi Vention consists of a series of apparatus fo receiving and transmitting to distant points y telegraph-wires records of the direcvelocityof the wind, the condition ot' the ba meter and thermometer, and, if desirable, t amount of rain, Src.

' cility and clear-ness of description the severa parts ot' the combined apparatus will be sept ately described, in the following; order: First, e appara-tus for measuring and transor recording at a distant point, the direc on of the wind.7 Secondly, the apparatus t' measuring and recording at a distant point t e. velocit-y ofthe wind. Thirdly, the appara is for recording at a distant point the conditi l of the barometer. Fourthly, that. which 1 ycords at a distance the thermometrical conditi Fifthly, the apparatus by which these s vreral apparatuses are caused, in rotation, t erform their functions through and by mea s of a single telegraph-wire. Sixthly, seventl y, eighthly, and ninthly, the several instrui .nt-s, respectively, for receiving the de scribed lecords and, iinally, the apparatus by which t e several transmittinginstruments are caused o perform their functions upon their respect e and appropriate receiving instruments.

The rst instrument consists of a vane, so mounte that when placed in an unsheltered posit-iol it will easily be made to point in that directi l toward which the wind 'is blowing, cause the shaft or tower to which it 4, on Sheet No. l., this vane is represented ogether with a tower, one section of he tower-is` supposed to be immovable, wh e the upper section is supposed to revolve a the vane moves in one direction or the other. pon the lower or fixed section are placed vo concentric rings of metal, (see also Sheet 1,) marked, in Figs. l and 4, B. Th 'e rings are tlaton their upper surfaces and in l e same plane, and are carefully insulated fr l each other, and one of them is di- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,437, dated January 2, 1872.

vided into a number of equal parts, also separated from each other by a non-conducting substance of electricity. A wire leads from the solid ring, and other wires from each of the parts of the divided or broken ring to other parts of the apparatus. On the under surface of the upper section of the tower, (A in Figs. 2, 3, and 4,) is placed a ilat elastic piece of metal, l?, in such manner that when the upper part of tower revolves the end of this dat piece of metal P describes a circle, its end resting partly upon the solid ring and partly uponthe broken ring, thus establishing` a metallic connection between the solid ring and one or the other ot the parts of the divided rin g, corresponding with the direction in which the vane D may point. Supposing the broad end of the vane be pointing due south, and let that point of the divided ring upon which the end of piece of metal l) then rest-s be considered as zero, and let there be three hundred and sixty equal. parts in the divided ring, numbered toward the right. Then, if the broad end of vane move one degree toward the west (from south) the solid ring and wire connected therewith will be connected with piece No. l of the-divided ring and the wire connected with it. It' pointing 2O or 30 west of south No. 2 or No.3 of divided ring will be thus connected with solid ring. Thus, if anV electric current be passing through wire connected with the solid ring it will tind its outlet through the wires respectively connected with pieces of broken ring, No. l, 2, 3, or 4, as the large end of vane may be pointing l0, 2O, 30, 40, or any other number of degrees, west of south.

Next in order of description is the apparatus for causing the velocity of wind77 to be recorded.

0n the small end of the vane, or on that side of rotary tower which is caused by the vane to constantly present itself toward the direction from which the wind blows, is placed a windmill,77 E,tlrn1ly fastened to shaft-or axis C. (See Figs. 2, 4, and 5.) On shaft C is a projection or tooth of metal, H. (Figs. 2, 4, 5.) Below the shaft C, in such position as not to be touched by the shaft, but so as to be simultaneously pressed by the projection H whenever the shaft revolves, are two flat elastic pieces of metal, I I, in Figs. l and 5, with con- 2 lee-43,7-

necting Wires leading to other parts of the apparatus. Hence a current of electricity'passing through oneof these Wires would tlow through the other when tooth H was in contact with springs I I, but the current-would be instantly broken when the revolution of shaft C carried tooth H awayfrmn these springs. So if said Wires were connected With voltaic battery and magnetic apparatus each revolution of Windmill-shaft C Would cause one magnetic. impulse to be sent. If the revolution should be rapid the magnetic impulses lwould succeed each other rapidly. If slow these impulses Would be correspondingly fa-r apart.

Third in order is the apparatus connected with the galvanometer.

Fig. 6, on Sheet No. v1, represents a baromet er,`into the loyver bulb or mercury-cup of which is inserted a Wire-always in contact with the mercury. Qther .Wires 4are inserted at distances corresponding to thegraduations of the instrument, in Vsuch manner, that as the mercury rises and falls therein, the ends of a greater or less number of Wires Will come in contact ywith the mercury.

Fig. 7, in Sheet No. l, illustrates a similar arrangement of a thermometer which performs its functions precisely in the same manner as does the barometer' just described, and which therefore requires no further description.

It will alsov be obvious that rain or tidegauges, instruments for measuring. pressure of gas or steam, or any automatic instrument which indicates' by movement of any constituent part, may be in a similar vmanner so arranged that a Wire may be connected with one of several other wires, ,corresponding in each case to the graduations or divisions of the measuring instrument over Which the index or movable part may pass. i

Fifth in order of description is the apparatus through and by which, successively, the several diverse connections, formed by -different conditions of the indices of each of the 1n easuringinstruments, shall cause corresponding, separate, and diverse records to be made upon certain corresponding electrical receiving instruments connected therewith by a single telegraph-Wire Withl the usual batteries and fixtures. It has already been said that the several records lare to be made in rotation. Hence it will be apparent that some device must be introduced by which the telegraphwire will be successively and in rotation connected `with each of the sending instruments described, for so long a time as may be required for each to perform its functions.

` Fig. 11, on Sheet No. 3, represents a device for this purpose. Its essential features are a train ofwheels or clock-Work, propelled by Weight or spring, its rapidity of movement being governed b y any ordinary esca-pement. 0n the projection of any convenient shaft or axissay vL-f-is placed a Wheel, A, having a projection or tooth, \vhich,in this instance, embraces nearly one-fifth of the circumference of the wheel, but which in all cases would be proportionate to the number of single instruments to besuccessively connected.y Ooneentric to this Wheel, and equidistant from each other and the Wheel. is placed a proportionate number of pairs of flat elastic pieces of metal or springsin this case there being live. Their position is such that .their endsdo not touch the circumference of the Wheel, but they are touched by, and the two ends of each pair are successively connected by,.the projecting tooth as the Wheel A iscaused to rotate. On the left of Fig.- l1, Sheet No. 3, is a perspective View of the Wheel A With one pair of springs shown. Wires are connected with each of the iiat pieces or springs. So if the several wires leading each from one of the springs composing a pair by a common conductor to one pole of a voltaic battery, and the wires leading from the other spring of each pair be. severally led through separate instruments to the other pole of the samev battery, then if the wheel A be caused to revolve the several instruments would be successively placed in circuit with and be aii'ect-ed by the battery separately, as

'the diiferentpairs of springs were severally and separately connected by theproiection on Wheel A. For the purpose of description, let this Vwheel Abe called a switch-Wheel, and, for illustration, let it be assumed that the speed of clock-work is such thatit, A, revolves once in five minutes. Then each pair of vsprings have their ends connected once iirve minutes, and for the space of one minute.

On the right-hand side of Fig; 8, on Sheet No. 2, is a diagram illustrating the manner in which the `Wires described are further connected with all parts of the apparatus. Only a snflicient number of connections are drawn to serve for illustra-tion without creating con'- fusion. In this diagram the 'central circle, marked A I, representsl the tWo rings of the vane-tower or direction-of-wind apparatus. vC is the Windmill shaft or velocity-of-wind apparatus, showing the two springs I I. X and Y, respectively, represent the barometer and thermometer, described and shown in Figs. 6 and 7, on Sheet 1. The surrounding small circles marked m m m represent cups of voltaic battery successively connected with each other :i-n one series, having its terminuses at N1 and N24. One of each pair of springs belonging to switch-Wheel A is, through a common cond nctor, connected With a telegraph-wire prolceeding to a distant point where it is connected with certain receiving apparatus, hereinafter to be more particularly described, and which.

is represented on the left hand of Fig. 8, Sheet 2.

V, he after to be described. Hence,it` switchwhee A be caused to revolve, as before describ it is evident that the tive instruments will, i 1 succession, each be connected by the teleg pli-wire to the receiving'. instrument or instr ents for one minute, and this will be const ntly repeated so long as wheel A revolve In the case now being illustrated the receiy ng instruments may be one instrument know as a galvanometer, and one resembling what known as a Worse telegraph register,77 both 1 one and the same circuit. Commencing y th the direction-oilwind77 instrument it wil be observed that one pole of the commenc ent of battery N1 is connected with grou i and a wire leads from the other pole ot' cu No. 1 to piece No. l ot broken ring or" dire tion-ot'wind77 machine; from further pole n 'cup No.2 to piece No. 2, and from turther ole oi' cup 24 to piece 24, and so on. Henc if the upper or revolving part ot` vanetower be in such position that spring P connects solid ring with piece 2, 3, 4, or 20, of broke ring, then an electric circuit will be form through telegraph line springs of switc -wheel A, through spring P, through 2, 3, 4, o 20 cups ot' battery, as the case may be, throu h ground and galvanometer,whichwould be ca ed to deiiect by a battery force ot' such num r ot' cups which corresponded with the num r ot' piece ot' broken ring then connecttion o galvanometer (all other conditions bein g the sa ie) will be greater or less'in direct proportion t( the numberot cups of battery introduced into t e circuit affecting it, then the detiection of ga anometer would in each case indicate how any cups were then connected, or on what piece t' broken ring spring P was resting, or in what irection vane was pointing. Now, suppose ie switch-wheelA has passed forward, so that 'ojecting tooth has lett the iirst pair ot' sp1-in s, and now connects the second pair, and has t us brought the velocity ot' wind instrument nto operation. From the second spring I a w e leads to t-he last cup oi battery N24. Henc it'tooth H of windmill shaft C (Sheet l) come n contact with. springs I I, the circuit throu h galvanometer and magnet of Morse regis u", and whole number ot' cups ot' battery will closed, but will bebroken when toothl-l leave springs II. Therefore each revolution of wind lill will cause one closure or electric impulse hrough those instruments. Each such impulse ein g registered by a dotimpressed upon a pap r moving with uniform velocity, then the proxi iity ot' such dots would indicate the rapiditL with which the electric impulses were sent, f r the rapidity with which the windmill revolve ,or the velocity ot the current oiVA wind causi git to revolve. The severalwires coming from xe barometer and thermometer respectively re likewise similarly connected with successi A. cups ot' battery in such manner that when Yhe switch-wheel A connects one or the other' i" these instruments the connection will in ei er case be complete through agreater ed wi 1 solid ring by spring P. As the deiiec-V or less number of cups of battery, as the mercury stands in position to covera greater or less number ot' wires. It is obvious that any number ofinstrum ents for divers purposes may e thus be introduced into one system, as, for instance, for measuring and recording the rise a-nd tall ot' tide, tall ot' rain, pressure oi' wind, steam, or gasesthe operation ot' which, being essentially similar to that ot one ofthe instruments described, need no further mention. In the case now being illustrated the circle V in Fig. 8, Sheet 2, represents a wheel six'nilar to switchwheel A, revolving live times as fast. The ofice otl this wheel is to connect in rotation l 2 3 4 5 cups ot' battery through the whole series during the interval of time that the tltth or last pair of springs is connected by switchwheel A. Thus, every iive minutes the galvanometer is deiiected by a known rota-tion of battery power, and thus the unit of deiiection for every change in condition of line is constantly known, so that in theimmediately succeeding three or four evolutious the relative value ot' galvanometer detlections may be known. The plan and means of utilizing the several parts ot instrument described, just shown, will in many cases be the most simple and economical; but in many cases the connecting telegraph-lines would be subject to so many variations oi' condition, of conductibility or leakage, that the galvanometrical indications, even correcte'd by intermediate observations, as described, would I'ail to record with the mathem atical exactness desired at all times. I will therefore describe two other methods, each applicable to any, but peculiarly adapted to particular conditions. In the above-described method the battery is placed at the transmittingend, where there is supposed to be no attendantl to attend to the supply and condition otl battery. Hence a battery of very long endurance must be used. In the second method now to be described all the battery force is to be placed at the receiving end, under the care ofthe general attendant ot' the receiving oftice. This is illustrated inl Fio. i), Sheet 2, in which all parts ofthe line and apparatus are represented in a similar manner to that in Fig. S, except that in the former case (Fig. il) the points N N N do not represent separate cups otA battery, but separate coils ot' tine insulated wire or other resistances. The several connections ot' all the transmitting instruments with switch-wheel A, and with each of the series of resistance-coils in the series, is precisely as before described for the connection ot the several cups ot' battery, except that in the one case the number of cups connected is in direct proportion with the graduation marked by transmitting machine, and in the other the number ot' resistance-coils connected is in inverse proportion. The highest grzuluation marked would connect the leastnumber ot' resistances. As has been stated, a uniform battery is constantly in connection with line and at receiving end. Hence. as a greater or less graduation is in turn marked by any of the transmitting instruments inversely, the current must pass through a less or greater number of resistance-coils, or through a circuit embracing ashorter or greater length of wire, and the galvanometer detlectionsat receiving end will be in direct proportion. The operation of velocity-of-wind instrument will beprecisely as before, and needs no lfurther description. Fig. 10, Sheet 2, represents a section of the two rings of velocity-otlwind instrument on an enlarged scale, showing more clearly the connection of the several-resistances N N N with each other and with the several pieces of broken'ring rIhe function of wheel V in this case is precisely similar to that described in the former case-that is, during the interval that switch-wheelA connects the appropriate pair of springs, the wheelV causes connection to be made in rotation through the greatest number of resistance-coils downward through the series until the telegraph-wire is directly connected` The object of this need not be repeated. The third method of application now to be described is especially adapted to long lines, subject to changes of conducting conditions, as the records a-re not dependent upon strength or quality of electric current traversing the telegraph-line, but upon the number of electric impulses of any available power transmitted through the line in uniform or regular intervals of time. This requires a modification ofthe clock-work of apparatus, causin g switchwheel A to revolve, and also entirely different receiving apparatus. I will iirst explain the transmitting apparatus. In Fig. No. 1l, on Sheet No. 3, just below the switch-wheel A, will be observed another wheel,K, on shaft I, having projecting teeth, which, when revolving, impinge upon the ends of springs placed on insulated blocks similar inall respects to those surrounding wheel A; .but K is intended to represent one of a series of similar wheels, all placed on one shaft, and turning together as one wheel or cylinder. .These wheels have in succession one, two, three teeth, the last having a number ot' teeth equal to the greatest number of parts or graduations to be indicated by any one transmitting instrument. The block and spring Q represent a series of pairs of springs, corresponding in number and position to the wheels K, each pair being connected by the several teeth of the wheel opposite when revolving. Hence, in one revolution of shaft I, each pair of springs will be connected and disconnected as many times as there are teeth on the opposite wheel. Fig. 12, Sheet No. 3, gives a longitudinal view of shaft I with several wheels K, on which the shaded parts indicate the projectingteeth, and the ends of pairs of springs Q are shown. One of the springs of each pair Q is, by a common conductor, (W, Fig. 12,) connected with the ground of transmitting end. rIhe remaining wire of each pair of springs Q Q Q is attached by one branch to one of the pieces of broken ring of direction of wind machine; by other branches .to the different graduations of thermometer,

barometer, or other measuring instrument, the spring opposite one toothed wheel, K, connecting with piece N o. l, or graduation N o. l-in each case the springs of the several wheels connecting the appropriate number of graduation on the several instruments corresponding to the number of teeth on respective circuitwheels.- The connection of these several instruments with the switch-wheel A and with the telegraph-line having been already described in former cases, need 'not be repeated.

The shaft I is so geared that it will make an entire revolution while projection of wheel A is passing over one set of springs, H.. In this illustration it makes tive revolutions while A revolves once, or makes one revolution while each instrument is connected with line. Hence, supposing the direction of wind instrument to be'connected, and that. the vane was in such position that spring P rested upon No. 15 of broken ring, then this connecting with springs opposite circuit-wheel K having fifteen teeth, and the other end of line being connected with appropriate battery, electro magnet, and ground, the circuit would be entire at all points except between the two springs Qalluded to, (pair 15,) and this break would be closed whenever a tooth touched the ends of springs, or in one revolution of shaft I the circuit would be closed and broken fifteen times, causing a corresponding vibration or movement of electro-magnet at receiving end. As it has been assumed that this shaft revolves once in a minute, then there will be fifteen movements of magnet in a minute; but if the position of vane is such that spring P'rests upon piece of broken ring No. 2, 4, 20, or any other number, then, being thus connected with spring opposite wheel having 2, 4, 20, or any other correspending-number of teeth, there will be two,

four, twenty, or a corresponding number of movements ofreceiving-magnet in one minute. So each instrument, the thermometer, galvanometer, or any other, (except the velocity-ofwind 7 instrument, the movements and operation of which havev been described,) being in turn connected, the graduation marked by the index of each respectively, causing a connection to be made through the springs opposite circuit-wheel having a number of teeth to the graduation marked,vwill cause a corresponding number of movements on receivingmagnet during one revolution of circuit-wheel shaft, or

lin one minute. It is evident that, this being accomplished, an intelligible record of the graduation or position of the index of each 'instrument is given-,at the receiving end, since a greater or less number of pulsations ofthe vmagnet in a given time clearly, and exactly indicate the corresponding position of the several indices ofthe measuringinstruments, each in turn; but for convenience in receiving these v records, apparatus may be especially adapted to their reception, which I describe as follows:

On sheet No. 4, Fig. 13, in the right-hand lower corner, is shown the main battery, section of telegraph-line, relay-magnet n circuit v peri of tl witl rece

armature-bar, &c., Src. This magnet X 'es the impulses from the several transmitt 1g instruments, as just described, and it now emains to utilize the pulsationscaused ther y.

I1 l ig. No. i3 the four diagrams respectively mar ddirection of wind, velocity of win d,7 ba v in eter,77 an d thermometerf7 representthe top )f four boxes with dial-faces and hands. Fig. 5 is a diagram of the apparatus contained in el h of these boxes, which consists of a ratchet-w eel with a number of teeth corresponding to t maximum number ofviinpulses ever to be rece ed during one interval of connection, or duri g the functioning of any one of the transmitt g machines. 'I his revolves with a shaft ndicular to face of dial, and piercing` its so that its projecting end may carry aor index to mark on the dial-face the deof revolution made by the ratchet-wheel. "glit, V B, or its equivalent, is attached s shaft in such `manner as to cause it to e in the direction indicated by the whole arrow shown in diagram, or toward the that is, it would do so if not prevented by centhan gree A w to t rev curr` left the dof pawl O B locking in' teeth of ratchet. Con niently placed to perform the functions to b described is an electro-magnet, S, with arm ure and armature-bar I to which is attach by hinge or pivot UB, the pushing-bar U, t end of which is so bent, located, and adj ust in reference to periphery of ratchet-wheel that proa bar of r War s toot 7hen the armature-bar I is caused to apthe face of magnet S the end of pushwill rest upon face of one of the teeth het-wheel, and will propel the wheel forfor a distance equal to the length of one but when the armature-bar recedes from the ce of the magnet, the retractile motion of rate t-wheel being prevented bythe pawl 0 B drol the over with ing into and locking with another tooth, d of push-'bar U will be drawn backward he point of another tooth, and will engage ts face in readiness to again. propel the whe forward when lthe armature again approc l es magnet. Hence the index or hand will e carried forward one unit of its revolution suit mat Pro1 circi y each pulsation of the armaturelbar. A le retracting-spring being attached to are-bar, and magnet S being' attached to r battery, each closing and breaking of twould be registered by the advancement index-hand on the dial-face; but if the B be raised, the end escaping the ratchh, and the end of push-bar U be at the time disengaged from ratchet-teeth, the hand would ily back until arrested by projecting pin so placed as to stop it at ro of graduation.

14, Sheet No. 4, represents a clock-work `r to that described as belonging to the 1g apparatus for causing the switch-wheel evolve, and, like it, has a similar switch- A3, with surrounding pairs of springs. pose is to cause several appropriate reg dials to be in rotation connected,

h local circuit and battery, with relaypaw et-te sain inde sma the

Fi Simi sent A to whe Its ceiv thro magnet in exact correspondence with the successive connection of the several sending instruments through the main line and battery with same relay.

As the operation of this switch-wheel A2 is precisely similar to that of A, before described, no further explainition is required. But as it is necessary th at th e revolutions of the two switchwheels should essentially correspond, and as exact synchronous motion cannot practically be attained, provision is made that at one point in the revolution of the two wheels they should exactly correspond, which is as follows: On the shaft which carries A2 is a wheel with a single tooth, A3, shown on righthai'ld of Fig. l-l, and also in Fig. 15. Conveniently placed for the purpose is an electro-magnet, Z, with armaturebar B3, (the end of B3 is shown on right-hand side of Fig. 14,) which so terminates that when the armature is drawn toward the face of magnet Z it will occupy such position as to prevent the tooth on A3 from passing it, and will thus arrest the machine; but when the armature is allowed to recede from the magnet face, then the tooth will be suffered to escape, and the machine will recommence moving. lhe last pair of sprin belonging to switch-wheel A, on transmitting end, is connected with wheel K, having no tooth, lbut having such a diameter to keep its respective springs connected through its whole revolution. The movement of the switch-wheel A3 is made a little more rapid than that of A on sending end, and the tooth on wheel A3 is so placed that the machine shall be arrested just when'the tooth of A2 is about to leave last pair of springs and recommence on tirst pair of series. Hence, the teeth of both wheels A and A2 being on last pair of springs, respectively, the circuit will be closed throughout the whole distance and armature-bar B3 will be in condition to engage with tooth of wheel A3, and will do so, and will arrest switch-wheel A2 just as it is about to complete its revolution, which will be before switch-wheel A has arrived at the same point. But when this latter completes its revolution, thus disconnecting its last pair of springs1 it will break the circuit and thus permit A2 to revolve. Thus the two switch-wheels will uniformi y commence each revolution almost sim ultaneously, and the connection of the several transmitting instruments, by means of switch A, will correspond with the simultaneous connection of appropriate dials or receiving instruments by means of switch-wheel A2.

Fig. 13, on Sheet No. 4, illustrates the connection of these several dials with local battery, switchwheel A3, and relay-magnet, in which the striking of armature-bar Xl against anvil X2 closes the short circuit through local battery, and with one or the other ofthe dials, according to the position of switch-wheel A2, to correspond with the pulsations received in magnet X caused by the appropriate sending apparatus. Hence each sending or measuring instrument, in rotation, will cause the hands or dials-in each case appropriately divided and an arm shown by dotted lines upon push-barA U, and its other end (see, also, Fig. 13) projects from front of dial in such manner that when this projecting end is pressed upon it causes the puslrbar and the pawl to be raised simnltaneously, and the hand will be suffered to Hy back until stopped by pin at Zero.

.The shaft-carrying switch-wheel A2 is elongated, and the instrument is so placed in reference to the position ofthe dials that sundry teeth projecting from the elongation of this shaft at the proper moment impinge upon the several projecting bars or Wires 0, thus causing the several hands to y back to zero simultaneously just before the completion of one round, thus placing the instruments in condition for the reception of another round or signal.

So far in the above explanations it has been assumed that the clock-work carrying the two switch-wheels and circuit-wheels at sending end were in constant motion. At the receiving end this may be wound up, as required, by the attendant receiving and notingrecords. At the sending end, at which there will be no attendant, the clock-Work must be automatic or selfwinding. As, however, there are many known devices for rendering such machines completelyT automatic, I have not deemed it expedient to burden these specitications with further claims or detailed explanations of the speciic manner of causing the spring or Weight to be wound up, further than to state the fact that the revolutions of the Windmill at all times, except when engaged in recording velocity of Wind, can be utilized to wind up the Weight or spring when it has rnn down a certain distance. As the Weight or'"`iring may be of length to carry the apparatus twenty or thirty days, experience has shown that no calm may be fearedto last so lon g that the movement of apthrough varying amounts of battery, or through y dilferent amounts of resistance, or through different circuit-closing and breaking Wheels, as the form of such switches may be modified without any change of the principle involved. Nor

do I confine myself to the particular form or style of vaneniometer, barometer, or thermome-A ter, as described, these several forms being assumed for facility of explanation of the principles involved of causing different conditions of any number of `measuring instruments to cause correspon ding different conditions of electrical motive power to pass over atelegraph-line. Nor do I confine m yself to the reception of these records upon the dials described, as printinginstruments of similar construction, as to propulsion, may be used.

It is, in fact, probable that an aneroid barometer would be suitable for this system, and a thermometer registering through the deec-v tion caused by unequal expansion or contraction of metals bound together, would afford a form much more easy of application to this system than is the one described for illustration.

Claims. y

l. I claim an automatic apparatus, operated by electro-magnetism or electricity, for indicating at a distance meteorological and other varying phenomena.

2. I claim a current-chan ger, consisting of a revolving cam operated by clock-Work bearing successively against a series ol' plates connected with the different branches of an electric circuit, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. I claim an apparatus transmitting currents of electricity, during a certain unit of time, corresponding in intensity to the variations from a fixed point during said time,of instruments indicating meteorological and other varying phenomena, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. Iclaiin an apparatus causing electrical impulses to be transmitted during a certa-in unit of time corresponding in number to the variations of instruments during Vsaid time from a zero point indicating meteorological and other varying phenomena, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. I claim a combination of the commutator, a single battery, instruments indicating meteorological and other varying phenomena, substantially as described.

STEPHEN CHESTER.

Witn esses S. A. SfrEBBINs, 

